Provincial Consultation on National Sustainable Development Strategy Sindh and Balochistan

10 Apr 2012 - 10 Apr 2012
10:00 AM - 2:14 PM

Avari towers Karachi

A combined consultative meeting was organized for Sindh and Balochistan Provinces in Karachi on 10 April 2012 at Avari Towers. The key issues discussed are:

? A common understanding of sustainable development in context of Pakistan has to be clearly defined in order to know how to integrate the same into country?s policies and programs usually designed for the Development as well as to understand the concept of what sustainable development means for Pakistan and for its economic growth. Also there is need to identify primarily principles of sustainable development that are required to be determined in the context of local development practices.

? There is no Coordination mechanism is given in the previous report. An action plan should be devised in the report for the environmental polluters.

? Implementation of enforcement mechanism needs to be set in place. Many strategies are prepared in the country but not implemented due to weak enforcement mechanism.

? There is a proposal to establish the Commission for Sustainable Development strategies (CSDS) but there is no tentative composition of such body with functions and responsibilities etc.

? Report should address and indicate strategies on how to switch over to the Clean development mechanisms (CDM) and conventional renewable energy practices like solar, wind turbines and biomass.

? Sustainable Development should be peoples movement. There should be focus on sustainable consumption patterns and lifestyles.

? Growing population in Pakistan should be a major concern as it is deeply linked with poverty and environmental degradation.

? Need of sharing knowledge between developed and developing countries and between developing countries.

? Implementation is the biggest concern for Pakistan environment protection policy. In the public and provincial programs the allocation of environment is very low, therefore the action plans have never taken off. Very few initiatives have been able to materialize.

? Provincial role after the 18th amendment is different. The interaction between the UN other agencies should be more clear.

? Balochistan, conservator of forests: more problems regarding development strategy then other branches. Very less has been done in Balochistan especially in forestry and environment sector. 0.02 share which is not sufficient. Development is not a difficult part, the difficult part is management and implementation, which requires sustainable management.

? Federal and provincial governments have no real commitment to environment. There is no implementation. Feasibility study of environment treatment plants was 5 billion rupees for which a request was made to the Federal Government to realise the funds to conduct the feasibility study. Currently, many industries are closed because of huge energy crises which affecting the business and economic growth. All the institutions are in bad shape for instance Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan railways and mostly country is facing big crises in Employment.

? NSDS Goals, shaping Pakistan?s green economy: nsds will be a pathway and a tool towards G E and will aim to conceptualize the concept.

? Economic and environment relationship should be redefined. Implementation framework: existing funding and resources should be shifted towards the sustainable development fund.

? The issue of placing the environmental concerns on the highest agenda of the Government was expressed by various participants and if there should be a bill tabled in the Assembly.

? Issue of environment not part of the constitution but the right to environment has been reiterated. However a separate green bench by supreme-court of Pakistan has been established to determine on how to implement the strategy.

? Lack of enforcement policies, there are existing laws on environment but no enforcement framework exists.

? Constitutional amendment is required for Forests or a legal framework which should be reinforced by the constitution. We should have environmental tax on industries, agricultural, imports, unless we don?t generate resources it will not work.

? Education: Environment should be made part of the syllabus.

? Sustainable consumption and production. Natural resources should be used efficiently.

? Challenge is to how to address the economy and make it development oriented at the same time where ever we can chip in the greening those areas. This strategy should equally focus on other pillars and well integrated into current economic framework. All strategies and policy framework should go hand and hand.

? Accountability and auditing should be added into NSDS.

? Integration is the missing link, how to integrate the policies at the national, provincial and international level. Provincial level institutional mechanisms should be placed to make the NSDS outcome fruitful.

? CDA should switch over to renewable energy and Wind energy. Integration of this document should be kept in mind. (Sindh strategy for sustainable development).

? Climate change affecting the national security of the country. How much this policy will address the issue of national security. It is very important to define the nature of security concerns caused by climate change whether its natural resources, economic security etc, and then define security. However, the issue of climate change and its security implications has been separately addressed under Pakistan?s climate change policy.

? Human induced actions; we can repair our damage through changing the mindset of people sustainable consumption patterns (SCP?S). better action and better response can improve the state of environment. Whatever development has taken place is wrong development path. Local government has never been that strong at the grass root level.

? The law of municipality should be altered, implemented and revise. Empower local body institutions, there is need to look into economic resources and wealth that it carries.

? Renewable Energy is still an option which has not been utilized properly. How to make coal option cleaner and make it best available technology to deal with growing energy crises.

? More business opportunities if the economy is greener and more green jobs. Harmonious efforts within the country and with neighbouring countries should be promoted.

? The implementation mechanism should be based on action plan and the required institutional arrangements and resources are needed to implement them. The implementation mechanism suggested in the report are generalized and vague without properly defined goals, targets, milestones and framework.